First Psychology blog

If ever there was a year to consider making New Year resolutions, it’s 2020! Although many people believe that New Year’s resolutions are a waste of time, for many they offer focus and a more positive mindset. They don’t have to be about creating a challenge so difficult that you are setting yourself up to fail, they can be something simple to ensure you are more focused on yourself and your own wellbeing. We all need some self care to ensure we are feeling at our best both mentally and physically. Health goals Research shows that our physical health is an important contributor to our mental wellness. A report 'Let's get physical - the impact of physical activity on wellbeing' published by the Mental Health Foundation   says that: “Participation in regular physical activity can increase self-esteem and reduce stress and anxiety. Physical activity can help play a role in preventing mental health problems and improve the quality of life of those experiencing it. For example, ...

Life is filled with ups and downs. Sometimes we have wonderful experiences that bring us joy and other times we will go through bad situations that cause us heartache, but it’s how we use the latter experiences to learn and move on that’s important. If you’ve gone through something traumatic, such as a failed relationship, the death of someone close to you or losing your job, these kinds of experiences can have a negative impact and seriously harm your wellbeing. If we allow our past to take a grip, it can affect our future decisions so it’s vital that we learn from the past rather than live there. Remember that every situation we face in life will have a different outcome so try not to let one bad experience define your future or who you are. If we don’t learn to put the past behind us, we will continue to endure sleepless nights, anger, resentment, anxiety, stress and depression. Rather than pushing our thoughts to the back of our mind, we should try and confront negative issues, dea...

We often have so many thoughts swimming around our heads that it can be hard to work out what is actually going on up there. Journal keeping is now seen by many as a useful tool to help solidify your observations and feelings for the day, as well as capturing your dreams and aspirations for the future. Not convinced? Here are just some of the reasons to grab a pen and paper and jot your thoughts down in a journal. More open to mindfulness There’s a strong link between happiness and mindfulness and as keeping a journal focuses your mind very much on the present, it can make you happier. When you write things down, past frustrations and future anxieties lose their edge and cease to occupy precious mind-space. Programmed to achieve We’ve said a number of times about the importance of writing things down if you want to actually achieve them. Keeping a journal encourages you to crystalise your hopes, dreams and ambitions. Once articulated, they become real – and once real, ...

It’s the most celebrated time of the year - an occasion when it’s perfectly OK to hug your neighbour and hold hands with strangers as we sing Auld Lang Syne together. However, for the introverts amongst us, New Year’s Eve may have been a painfully awkward affair. Fear not, we have some tips to help you embrace your introvert nature and use this brand New Year to set resolutions that will help you to live the life you want – rather than conform to what others expect you to do. Step out of your comfort zone – just the once If we always do what we’ve always done, we deny ourselves the opportunity to grow. Yes, we know that socialising and partying can be uncomfortable, especially if you find small talk painful, but try and commit to going out at least once a month – or even, once a quarter. And it starts now. After that, it’s up to you to decide where you go and what you do with your time, but by pushing yourself to do something you wouldn’t normally do, it will heighten your senses a...